Only on AP: NFL plans to hire 17 full-time officials

Updated 7:38 pm, Thursday, December 1, 2016

Troy Vincent, the league's vice president of football operations, told The Associated Press on Thursday that he expects the NFL to hire as many as 17 full-time officials this offseason.

The additions are allowed under the collective bargaining agreement and would increase the size of officiating crews from seven to eight, Vincent said during a visit to Buffalo.

"This is a topic of discussion daily," he said, noting the league will need to consult with the NFL Referees Association.

Vincent said, the league is already receiving input from coaches, general managers and owners. And, he said, hiring full-time officials and discussions to expand replay reviews top the agenda of the NFL's competition committee, which is scheduled to meet in February following the Super Bowl.

Vincent says full-time officials would allow the NFL to spend more time on training and consultation on a year-round basis.

What has yet to be decided is where the additional official would line up on the field. One proposal is introducing a middle sideline judge to monitor interior defensive line penalties. Another is to oversee hits to the quarterback.

Vincent said the league is studying the officiating model recently adopted by college football's top conferences, which now have eight on-field officials. The Big 12 started the experiment by using eight in 2013, with other conferences following a year later.

Last season, the NCAA approved the use of eight on-field officials for all levels of football in 2015.

The NFL's collective bargaining agreement includes a clause allowing the league to hire no more than 17 game officials as full-time employees as of the 2013 season.

Vincent said the league has used that time to study potential options to improve officiating, including through replays or adding administrative staff.

Citing NFL statistics, Vincent noted the league's current officials have an accuracy rate of more than 97 percent. It's only during those few occasions where a gaffe is magnified, he said, that they get so much attention.

Vincent said the league's full-time officials would not supersede the authority of the referee.